In the Dreams of Whispers
by Neko Baka Z
Summary: Dreams aren't always what they seem, they can open the doors to the other realms, and Alinor meets an un-welcomed visitor...The Dark Angel.


In the Dreams of Whispers  
  
A/N: Well, this is supposedly a semi-sequel to Dimension Hopper, but Zika never goes to Alinor's world, so it gets its own story all to its' self…  
  
Disclaimer: Actually, I don't own anything in this…I'll tell you if that changes…lucky millionaire people…  
  
Whispers, whispers in his sleep. Whispers were calling his name. Alinor stirred in his sleep, unable to let go of his dreams.  
  
"There is a challenge that you must face." The whispers said. "Only you can face it."  
  
Other nights he had denied it, but still it came. Tonight he accepted the challenge. Colours swirled around him, like broken rainbows, and then it was dark. Alinor knew that he wasn't dreaming anymore, and it wasn't a vision. He was in a spirit realm, but one unlike any he had been to. It was the realm between worlds.  
  
A face of a boy appeared in the darkness, and then his body. He was a teen, dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. His hair was long enough that it was tied back, and he wore no shoes.  
  
"Welcome Elf Champion." He said. "I am Jova, and I will present your challenge."  
  
"What is this challenge?" Alinor asked, finding himself in full armour. Jova merely smiled.  
  
"You cannot out fight the challenge." He said. "For the challenge is also a lesson." He motioned and beside him appeared a girl. Then Jova disappeared.  
  
The girl stared at Alinor with unblinking eyes. By her colouring, Alinor could tell that she was albino. But her eyes were an eerie metallic blue. She had to have been about sixteen, and she wore a kilt with a single-strap tank top.  
  
"I am Zika." She said, her voice low. "And you are the Sidhe Champion." She began to circle Alinor slowly. "And what makes you a champion? Some great deeds? Saving something precious? What is precious to the Sidhe"  
  
"Children." Alinor said promptly. He was watching her with the corners of his eyes. "I save every child in order to break the cycle of abuse."  
  
"Abuse, huh?" There was a spark of interest. "You save the children."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And that's what makes you champion?"  
  
"Must be."  
  
"You don't seem to sure." She laughed. He didn't like her laugh. "So, if a father mistreats his daughter, simply because of who she is, what would you do?"  
  
"If it went out of hand, I'd remove her and replace her with a changeling, so that she can get help."  
  
"And she'll be saved" There was a strong emotion in her voice that he couldn't identify.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And what if it gets too far before you can come, what if the father nearly kills the mother, what if the girl kills her father very slowly for what he had done to her?"  
  
"I would take her Underhill, because it's not her fault that her father made her into what she is." He said.  
  
"So, you'd save her, despite what she did?" She stopped in front of him.  
  
"Yes." He responded immediately.  
  
Zika closed her eyes, and faded away. But he could still feel her…right…behind…  
  
"Then why didn't you save me?" A quiet, young, female voice said.  
  
Alinor swirled, and there stood a little girl with silver pigtails, Zika the child. Her eyes were large and haunted as if she had been through hell and back. His heart went out to her.  
  
Then he could see it, in front of him, the hell of a childhood she had and the abuse, and the steps she had taken never to be abused again…the murder of her own father, suicide…  
  
He found himself crying at Zika's feet.  
  
"You can't save everyone, can you?" Zika said, becoming the teen. "You know what? Sometimes these things have to happen in order for there to be a balance. It's not nice, but then it's not supposed to be. After all, we exist, and I wouldn't exist if what happened never did. See, there needs to be evil in order for there to be good."  
  
He looked up at her. She had moved away and her eyes had become unfocused. He could feel the power she was calling. Jova appeared next to her, suddenly. He looked substantial to Alinor. Jova took Zika's hand, and then slowly faded away, almost sliding into her. Zika shifted.  
  
Her skin peeled off and twisted as dark energy surrounded her form and electricity danced within. Alinor had to shield his eyes with his hands from her terrible light. When he took his hands away, he gasped.  
  
Zika's short white hair was now in silver spikes. Coloured markings covered her forehead and cheeks of her face, giving her a more sinister expression. Markings also covered the smooth white armour that now encased her body.  
  
But the most remarkable were the sheer metal wings protruding from her back in sharp, crisp sheets. They clinked and charmed like wind chimes, and crashed like clashing swords. She twitched her wings, and Alinor saw a few drops of blood falling from her back.  
  
"You're hurt!" He said with alarm. She shrugged.  
  
"All things have a price, and I pay mine gladly." She said.  
  
Something distracted her, and he saw her rage. It was raw and painful. He cried out in searing pain, and he thought that he heard Zika scream. His eyesight swam and blacked out. He felt himself drift away from the sadness, rage and pain, and back to his merciful dreams.  
  
*~*  
  
Zika rolled in her sleep, throwing away blankets. Her fist clenched and un- clenched. She muttered curses at her dreams.  
  
From his screen, Jova watched her usual nightmares. He longed to soothe her and comfort her.  
  
"The elf was supposed to help, just a bit even. If only." He muttered. "I could just give her one night of restful sleep. Perhaps then she would be happier, perhaps she would heal…just to make her happy…"  
  
  
  
~*~ *~* ~*~ *~*  
  
Zika-Silver1: well, that's it! Jova just wants to make Zika happy, isn't that sweet?  
  
Jova: You missed out the point about keeping her from killing Hikura_.  
  
Zika-Silver1: never mind that… 


End file.
